`Iran gave Syria $1 bn to bypass West sanctions’

Tehran: Iran gave Syrian government over USD 1 billion to help the country relieve pressure of international sanctions imposed for the brutal slaughter of its civilians, it has emerged.

According to documents from the Syrian President’s office, obtained by Haaretz News, the Iranian regime helped Syria as the country was facing pressures of an international oil embargo and other restrictive measures on travel and trade through its central bank.

Notorious Internet hacking group named Anonymous leaked the documents through a cyber-hacking of the Syrian President’s office e-mail server, Fox News reports.

According to Haaretz, the account belonging to the minister of presidential affairs, Mansour Azzam, included two documents signed by him dealing with relations between Syria and Iran.

The documents, written two months ago and detailing conversations between Iranian representatives visiting Syria, referred to Syria’s wish to “learn from the Iranian experience in this area”.

The documents delineated ways in which the Islamic regime could aid Syria in bypassing sanctions, the report said.

The leaked documents revealed that Iran’s delegation that travelled to Syria announced its allocation of 1billion dollars to Damascus in exchange for basic food items, such as meat, olive oil and fruit.

The Iranian delegation also reportedly discussed ways by which it could help the Syrians continue to export oil despite the embargoes.

The Iranian regime promised to monitor the buying of 150,000 barrels of oil per day from Syria for a year “to use it domestically or resell it to others”, the documents revealed.

To reciprocate, Iran would supply Syria spare parts for the petroleum industry that are nearly impossible to obtain under sanctions, the document added.

Currently, the US Turkey, European Union and Arab League have imposed crippling sanctions on Syria’s trade, banking and oil exports in order to deter its brutal killing of citizens.

The effects of the international sanctions and embargos on the Syrian regime are evident and have led to the country’s current economic crisis. The regime has exhausted trade partners and needs revenue to pay its 15,000 militia men, hired to crack down against protestors.